CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stated that unauthorised constructions in Chennai are leading to floods during the monsoon, while commenting that such constructions are mushrooming because of the failure of officials in taking action during the initial stages.
A division bench of Justices S M Subramaniam and V Lakshminarayanan, while recently sitting in a vacation court, made the comments and dismissed a petition filed by a woman, Shanthi, seeking to quash the lock, seal and demolition order issued against her property by the housing and urban development department.
The practice of filing writ petitions without even allowing the authorities to look into the matter, at no circumstance, will be encouraged by the High Courts, the bench said. Authorities must be provided with reasonable time to consider such revision petitions filed under the relevant statutes, it said, adding that the aggrieved persons are at liberty to move a petition seeking interim order, if any required, but they file writ petitions to prolong the issue and escape action.
It added, “Chennai city has become a concrete jungle on account of large-scale building violations by the persons who are putting up constructions. On account of these large-scale violations in building construction, the city is facing flooding during the rainy season.”
Blaming the authorities for not initiating appropriate action against such violations during the initial stage of construction, the bench said, “Their inaction, omission and corrupt activities are causing not only causing inconvenience to the people at large but it violates the constitutional rights of citizens, since such building violations pose danger not only to neighbours but also to the public in general.”
The petitioner prayed for quashing the lock, seal and demolition notice issued to her on November 5, 2024, owing to violations and wanted the court to protect her property until the revision petition she had filed with the housing and urban development department secretary, was disposed.
The HC directed her to approach the department secretary for speedy disposal of her revision petition.